PET SCREENING FOR LANDLORDS

Pet Screening for Landlords: How to Screen Animals & Increase Income

Here's a fact that surprises most landlords: 71% of U.S. households own pets. Many of them are actively searching for pet-friendly rentals.  Yet most small landlords do one of two things: blanket-ban all pets (losing 30% of applicants), or allow pets without screening (exposing themselves to massive liability and property damage).  There's a better way. It's called pet screening.  At Grassroots, we use PetScreening.com to screen animals the same way we screen people. And here's the best part: we even get more income for it. Let me show you exactly how.

Why Pet Screening Matters

Pet ownership is rising. Demand for pet-friendly rentals is strong. But pet inclusion without systems increases risk. Pet inclusion WITH systems increases performance.  Here's the data: PetScreening reports that clients implementing their platform experience a 30.7% increase in revenue after adopting the system. That's not just from capturing pet rent. It's from: Expanding your applicant pool by 25–30%, Reducing property damage from problem pets, Renting units faster (pet-friendly units rent 25–30% quicker), Professional risk management that prevents liability.  The question isn't whether to allow pets. The question is whether to manage them strategically.

How PetScreening.com Works

PetScreening is a digital platform that streamlines pet screening. Here's what makes it powerful:  No cost, no contract, no software to download. Tenants submit pet information digitally (breed, age, behavior history, vaccination records). The platform evaluates risk factors automatically. You review the profile and approve or deny within minutes.  Key features: Pet risk assessment based on breed, size, behavioral history, Vaccination tracking and verification, Assistance animal compliance (HUD/FHAct guidelines), Pet population tracking on your property, Integrations with property management software (Yardi, Appfolio, ResMan, OneSite, etc.).  The beauty? Tenants handle the process. You just make the approval decision.

Revenue Opportunities: Pet Deposits & Fees

This is where it gets interesting.  Pet deposit (one-time): $250–$500 per pet Pet rent (monthly recurring): $15–$75 per pet per month  Let's do the math for a small landlord: 20-unit property, 60% occupancy rate has pets, Average 1.5 pets per tenant, $40/month pet rent per pet.  That's: 20 units × 60% × 1.5 pets × $40/month = $720/month = $8,640/year in additional revenue  For a 10-unit property, that's $4,320–$5,400/year just from pet rent. Add pet deposits ($250–$500 per new tenant), and you're looking at thousands of dollars annually.  And remember: pet-friendly units rent 25–30% faster, which means less vacancy and more revenue compounding.

Pet Screening Criteria: What to Evaluate

When screening pets, evaluate:  Breed and size - Some breeds flagged as higher risk for property damage, Larger dogs = higher damage potential, Set clear limits in your pet policy ("Dogs under 50 lbs")  Age and behavioral history - Puppies and young animals = higher property damage risk, Prior damage, aggression, biting incidents = major red flags, Previous landlord references help here  Vaccination records - Required for health and liability protection, Proof of rabies and basic vaccines  Number of pets - Set a limit per unit ("Up to 2 pets maximum"), Multiple large dogs = higher property damage and noise complaints

Legal Considerations: FHAct & Fair Housing

Pets are different from service animals. Know the distinction.  Service animals (legally protected under FHAct): No pet fees allowed, Cannot require breed/size restrictions, Cannot require deposits, Fair Housing Act requires reasonable accommodation.  Emotional Support Animals (ESAs): Require reasonable accommodation request, HUD updated enforcement in May 2026, Require documentation verification, Can charge pet rent if not legitimately classified as service animal.  Your pet policy: Apply screening criteria consistently to all applicants, Document your screening decision (legal protection), Avoid blanket breed bans; evaluate case-by-case, Don't discriminate based on protected classes (race, national origin, disability, etc.)

Getting Started with PetScreening

Here's how to launch pet screening at your properties:  1. Visit petscreening.com and sign up (takes 5 minutes, no cost to start) 2. Set your pet policy (breed limits, size limits, number limits, pet rent amount) 3. Tenants complete pet application during rental process 4. Platform evaluates pet risk automatically 5. You approve or deny based on your policy 6. Pet rent activates monthly on rent invoice 7. Track all pets on your property (liability protection)  First tenant with a pet will likely pay for the entire system within months. 

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